Dropkick Murphys to kick the Wiltern Nov. 2

Dropkick Murphys

For those with an Irish bent towards music, next week at the Wiltern promises to be a Godsend. The Pogues playing two nights starting Halloween followed by Boston's Dropkick Murphys on Nov. 2. With the Celtic influence on Halloween well known, these shows should definitely be memorable.

DKM is touring behind their newly release sixth album, The Meanest of Times, which debuted at #20 on the Billboard top 200 a few weeks ago and is a fine addition to their already solid body of work. Mind you these aren't your lilting Irish drinking songs, but straight up punk hard rocking music with more than a touch of green beer. More like a mega-keggar of green beer.

The band is on a bit of roll lately, doing the National Anthem and some of their own music to open the seventh game of the American League Championship Series. They wrote the theme song of the 2004 Red Sox World Series Championship, the team's first in 86 years. The Sox' record when playing at Fenway Park after a DKM performance? 6-0. It is no wonder many of the players are regulars at their shows. One of their songs was featured in The Departed, set in Boston last year. And apparently they inspire their fans so much many feel compelled to get tattoos to show their love of the band.

With no filler on this record there probably won't be any filler at the show, so come out to the Wiltern and check the Murphs!

DKM fans' tats